


Until We Get There

by Jayden123



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-22
Updated: 2014-09-22
Packaged: 2018-02-18 09:30:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2343581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jayden123/pseuds/Jayden123
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ask Naruto. </p><p>There's no highschool without drama. Drama like sleeping with your ex boyfriend at your current boyfriend's birthday party. </p><p>And said ex realizing he is still in love with you and wants to fight for you.</p><p> Lovetriangle madness ensues.</p><p>Human!Teenagers!AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	Until We Get There

**CHAPTER 1: Life As We Know It**

_**Septermber 23 2012, Akimichi Residence, Kitchen.** _

"This is going to be amazing. Can you feel it, you guys?  _Feel_ it." Sakura giggled to herself, putting the final touches to the chocolate mousse cake that she had slaved over for the entire day.

"It's just a party, geez. I don't know why you're so worked up about this" Kiba rolled his eyes as he leaned forward to sample a little of the icing and winced as he recieved a sharp hit on the back of his hand. The pink haired girl waved the tube of icing at him threateningly.

Besides Kiba, Hinata put the last touches to the plate of brownies she was arranging prettily on a plate, eyebrows knit tightly in concentration.

"It's Ino's  _18th_  birthday!  _18TH._ You know she's been going on about this ever since we were kids. This has to be perfect. Don't you remember? She'd always say 'Sakura! I-"

"You know she can go on about this forever, right? I got TheSpeech three times yesterday just because I told her I might not be able to make it because of this family thing" Naruto stretched himself on the couch he was lying on, one of his iPod's earbuds falling out, cutting her off.

"There was no  _speech._ " Sakura huffed as she cleaned her hands with a towel and turned towards the blonde who raised an eyebrow in response.

"Uh, yes there was. We call them the friendship speeches. You do it very often" He grinned.

"I so don't do that! Do I? Hinata?" Said bluenette turned to her, wide eyes.

"I-uh-um-you see, what was the question again?"

"You once gave it to me when I couldn't come to Naruto's Art Gala." Kiba offered, plomping down next to Naruto, making the other pout and reluctantly sit up to make space.

"Yes well that was very important to Naruto! And it was very careless of you to land detention on that specific day and-"

"She's going to be here in less then half an hour." Neji supplied, looking up from his book, as he got him from his armchair and carefully manuevered around Shikamaru sleeping on the floor to reach his cousin who was now smiling proudly at her handiwork.

"Where's Lee? And Gaara?" Sakura suddenly turned around and scanned the entire room.

"Gaara called me a while ago and said he'd be here. I texted him a few minutes back but he hasn't replied yet so either A, he's got mugged and might be lying all bloodied up in some alley or B, he's being Gaara and a little lazy." Naruto shrugged, leaning up to offer one earbud to Kiba who was uptill then pawing at the iPod.

"You're such a drama. Stop watching all those weird crime based shows man." Kiba ruffled the blonde's hair and avoided a punch to the chest.

"Those are very realistic okay! It could happen!"

"Ohmygod. This is going to be the worst party ever." Sakura leaned forward to bury her head in Hinata's shoulder. Said blunette just patted her head comfortingly.

"Geez. Relax Sakura. It's going to be fine. Everything looks good! Except for uh, the party hats with ducks on them." Naruto and Neji turned to look at Kiba silently.

"She once said she liked ducks!" Kiba held his hands infront of him defensively. "I was rushing okay?"

"Okay you know what. Let's just...do with whatever we can. We are going to do this right. And this will be amazing. It will be. Choji'll be here any minute. I don't need Gaara! Or Lee! Or stupid party hats. We can do this!" Sakura squeezed Hinata's shoulders, eyes suddenly bright and energetic.

Shikamaru gave out a soft snore from the floor.

* * *

"Choji, I swear to god. If 'helping you with homework' turns out to be me doing all the work and you going through a billion packet of chips again and encouraging me every five minutes again, I will kill you." Ino muttered as she followed the large boy as he opened the door to his house, looking back to grin at her sheepishly.

"That was one time! And I had missed breakfast! You know I can't function without food."

The blonde girl rolled her eyes, taking off her shoes near the doorstep as she followed after Choji.

"Your house is pretty quiet Choj'. Where are your parents? Are they away or something?" Ino looked around. It was pretty silent and she felt like she was missing something. Maybe it was the empty kitchen that she could partly look into from the hallway. Choji's mother could mostly be found there during this time, whipping up another extravagent lunch for her family; something that she enjoyed immensely.

Choji seemed to ignore her which made Ino frown a little in annoyance as she continued to follow him into his living room. She turned the corner after him and opened her mouth and-

"SURPRISEEEEEEEEEE!"

She could only stare wide eyed, mouth gaping open as her parents, and Choji's, all of her friends, (and was that Kakashi and Iruka sensei?) grinned at her widely dressed in bright colorful party hats (were those ducks?) in the Akimichi family's brightly decorared living room.

* * *

"I guess this didn't turn out to be bad huh?" Sakura smiled brightly, giddy with joy and pride to see the entire room bustling with activity and Ino in the center of it all, cake splattered all over her face (courtesy of Kiba), eyes bright and chatting animatedly with Hinata. "I am a god. I should do this professionally."

"She even liked the ducks!" Naruto poked his tongue out at her, plopping down next to her with a cup full of soda, fixing his hat on top of his unruly blonde hair. Cake was smeared all over his cheeks.

"Isn't it so weird? I mean. We're 18 now, all of us. When did that happen?" Sakura poked Naruto in the stomach. "Youth's fleeting huh?"

"Woaah. I don't know about you, but I'm doing pretty well don't you think? Don't know about you." He grinned mischeviously. "Is that a grey hair?"

"You're hardly in any position to make hair jokes Namikaze. How many birds are residing in that nest that you call hair?"

"Touche."

"Remember how when we were seven and we thought turning eighteen would be this huge magical moment that we couldn't wait for? Well hello. Its been five months over for me. Where are my moments dammit!" Sakura pouted leaning into her blonde best friend.

"Want to go grab Ino after and go over old photos and laugh at awkward puberty moments?"

"You get me."

"I try my best."

"Here you guys are! Narutoooooo. Sakura! CHEESE!" Lee grinned happily, bouncing up and down as he clicked away at his camera happily.

"Why are you guys all the way here and away from Hinata's magical brownies?" Kiba plopped on the armrest of the couch next to Naruto. (Sakura: "Why is everyone taking our spot" Go awaaaaay!") "Make some room blondie." Naruto made a point by ignoring him.

"I got banned after my fifth one. Hinata's mean" Said blonde pouted as he gave another wistful look in the direction of the plate of baked goodness that was currently being attacked by Choji. "I'm going to go find Gaara. I miss my emo panda."

"Gaaaaaaara! Give him a hug from us" Sakura giggled.

"We're so high on sugar right now." Lee just burped in response.

* * *

"Why are you hiding all the way over here?" Naruto poked his head into the kitchen and gave his red headed friend a judgmental stare. Said friend looked up from his book that lay on the kitchen table and raised an eyebrow in response.

"I'm not hiding." Gaara muttered, green eyes narrowing as he took in the noise coming from outside the room. He really didn't like parties, especially ones that involved Lee and Kiba Inuzaka getting high on sugar.

The blonde came and plopped down into the chair next to him, leaning forward to see what book he was reading before getting bored and turning towards him.

"We can leave early if you want? Get ice cream or something. I know you didn't eat anything here and you love ice cream!"

"I'm fine, Naruto. This is a good book."

"I'm sure it is, but qualitiy time with your bestfriend is even better. And there's ice cream invovled too! I'll pay!"

"You're being loud, it's giving me a headache. Tone it done, I can  _feel_  the emoticons in your voice." He rolled his eyes, but the slight tilt at the corner of his mouth betrayed him slightly.

Naruto rolled his eyes.

"I thought we were making progress with you! I know you're just full of warm fuzzy feelings inside. We just need to work more on enunciating." He grinned as Gaara merely rolled his eyes and muttered an affectionate 'idiot' under his breathe.

After a while the blonde realized that Gaara was fully intent on staying here for a while and pouted. "I'm going to call Neji. Drastic measures are being called upon. You saw this coming."

"Neji left 15 minutes ago."

"Ergh. Really? Neji's such a dad. I'm going to give him so much grief tomorrow. I'll even use my 'I judge you' stare. It's really potent. I've been working on it for a while."

"You're so immature. How are you turning 19 again?"

Naruto shrugged, laughing slightly as he nudged Gaara.

"It's so weird. Remember when we were kids and I'd drag you along with me and prank Temari and Kankuro? How we'd doodle on all of the puppets your brother loves so much. And he'd chase us around, well me more then you. You'd just sit there and glare and he wouldn't even bother."

Gaara remained silent. He turned to the blonde and stared at him slightly. The blond had gotten a bit quiet.

"I'll drive you home, Naruto. You're getting depressing with all this nostalgia." This made Naruto smile widely.

"ME? Seriously? Says the angsting Panda. Do you know people in school made a Meme out of you?"

Gaara just rolled his eyes.

* * *

_**October 2nd, 2012 Fall Charity Raising Gala for Muliple Sclerosis** _

Konoha's weather had turned slightly cold, a sudden chill lay heavy in the air especially during the evening, emphasized even more by the dim glow of the setting sun.

Naruto rolled down the car window a tad just for an inhale of the crisp October air. Infront of him, in the passenger seat, Kushina was fiddling with her purse and smoothing out her dress with her other hand whilst Minato manned the radio, other hand on the steering wheel.

"You look like you're constipated. Relax, Naruto. It'll be over before you know it." Kushina gave him an encouraging grin from the front.

"That's what you said the last time and we had to stay an extra couple of hours and I had to endure those beautiful 'you're son is  _gay_ Minato? I feel so bad for you' moments even more so then ever. You'd think after three year's they'd calm down" Naruto huffed from the back, uncomfortable in his suit as he adjusted his tie. He always preferred pajamas and a large warm TShirt then dressing up. Even after 18 years, he still wasn't used to these socialite dinners his father got invited to which came with the perks of being Chief of Surgery of Konoha's most prestigious hospitals; Hiruzen Memorial Hospital.

"Look on the bright side, Gaara'll be there along with your grandmother and grandfather. And this time I'll let you be by yourself. No awkward introductions, I promise." Minato gave him an encouraging smile.

"Really? And Mom, no showing me off and grabby old ladies and pinching of cheeks?"

Kushina pouted. "That was ONE time and this hag had the audacity to tell everyone that she had the most wonderful and beautiful son and no one could compare."

"Wow. And I sure proved them wrong." Naruto rolled his eyes

"Hush. You were perfect."

"This'll be quick I promise." Minato smiled at his only son from the rearview mirror.

"I'm just saying. If you want to find me I'll be beside Gaara trying to drown myself in fruintpunch."

* * *

The gathering was extravagant if nothing else, as expected. Women decked in beautiful dresses, looking regal and powerful, chatting gracefully with each other over cocktails, all fake smiles and sugar coated words. Men looking smart and clean cut in their suits, and yet intimidating to Naruto. He always saw past their fake warm smiles and saw the judgement in their eyes.

This is how all these dinners usually went. He'd somehow find Gaara and they'd take a spot and he'd spend most of it trying to busy himself with food or text Kiba or Sakura. Neither of whom were replying right now, and as for Gaara, well he had texted and informed him that he was conveniently sick. So right now Naruto felt extremely betrayed and sat awkwardly at a table full of other kids his age that he didn't know, one of whom kept eyeing him ever since he had arrived.

 _See if I ever buy lunch for you ever again, traitor. =.= DISOWN_ Naruto typed out harshly in annoyance, mentally picturing all the ways he could get back at traitorous Kiba.

"So you're the Namikaze's son?" A deep voice startled him and he almost jumped out of his seat, clutching his phone tightly. He blinked, wide eyed and turned to look at a boy around his age looking at him intently. It was the same boy who had stared at him like he was roadkill all night long.

"Um, yeah. I'm Naruto. Nice to meet you." He smiled politely and held out a hand for an obligatory handshake. Said brunet looked at him and smirked slightly and slowly took his hand, shaking it firmly.

"I'm Aiden. I don't think we've met before. Is this your first time here?"

Naruto snorted. "Hardly. I mostly hide in some corner with my friend who decided to bail on me tonight. These dinners aren't really my thing."

"That explains it. I was wondering why. There's no way I could have missed you before."

Naruto blinked at him silently and nodded, a little confused as to where the guy was going with this. There was an awkward silence which Naruto really hated as it made him feel really uncomfortable. He was itching to say something, a billion topics coming to his head, but refrained from doing so. He knew he had a bad habit of going on and on about everything once he started talking. It was better to let one think he was boring then accidentally tell him about all of his, if nothing else, embarrassing childhood stories. (He still doesn't know it happens.)

"So, Naruto..."

"Yes..."

"I was just thinking how-" Aiden was abruptly cut off by Naruto's loud ringtone going off ( _Because its you and me and all other people and I-)_  and he smiled at the brunet boy sheepishly who looked a little annoyed and got up to answer it. The blond sighed in relief as Sakura's name flashed across the Caller ID.

" _You._ "

"Naruto please. Ino needed me. It was an  _emergency._ "

"I think my emergency precedes Ino's emergency. What happened? Did she lock herself in her bathroom again?"

"Hey! Don't be mean. That was one time and it was a mistake!" Sakura huffed. "So drama queen, how bad is it? On a scale of 1 to 10?"

"Well lets see. Kiba isn't replying. Gaara's 'sick' (Sakura rolled her eyes, she could feel the air quotes all the way over here), and this guy's trying to be creepy friendly and its awkward."

Sakura sighed. "Naruto, sweetie. For the love of god. It's called flirting. You should know. Lee does that every time he sees me. Or any pretty girl for that matter."

"...Crap. What do I do? You KNOW I can't say no to people. See. I knew it. I swear to god these events are purposely out to get me."

"Stop exaggerating. This is fine. Just be...yourself. And be oblivious. After a while he'll back off and go after someone else." Sakura paused for a moment and was quiet for a while. "Though maybe, this is good you know. You should-"

"Sakura." Naruto's voice was suddenly firm. And she was quiet and then sighed.

"..Fine. Look. Text me if anything happens. And if things get really horrible text Kiba and we'll come pick you up. Your parents wont mind."

"That sounds good! Then we can go murder Gaara."

"Try not to die, blondie. And no, don't pretend to be on the phone after I hang up. That is just sad and I don't care how awkward the situation is."

"I wasn't going to-!"

"Naruto."

"Whatever."

Naruto hung up and slowly made his way back to the table. Aiden's eyes brightened as they locked onto him.

"You were gone for a while."

"Yeah, sorry about that. Um. It was a friend. You were saying?" Naruto smiled slightly and took a huge sip of his fruit punch. He hated fruit punch.

"Well someone was telling me over here how you know Itachi Uchiha?"

Naruto choked a little on his drink and froze.

"Itachi?"

"Yeah, Uchiha Fugaku and Mikoto's son? Heir to Uchiha Enterprises?"

"Um. Well it's more of a hello-hi sort of a friendship that mostly just extends to these dinners really." Naruto smiled uncomfortably.

"Yeah, well he's here. I just saw him. Think you could introduce him to me? He's kind of a legend really."

"Uh-I-um. Just one second." The blond immediately got up and rushed to the men's restroom. He moved towards the white sinks and opened the tap, splashing cold water over his suddenly hot face. The blonde stood there for a couple of minutes, just thinking.

He hated how tense he felt right now. Naruto had sworn he'd change and not be the same stupid boy he had once been. He felt betrayed by his body and for once he wished he was like Gaara. How Gaara didn't let anyone make him  _feel_ like this.

He quickly brought out his phone.

_I need you. You guys need to pick me up. Guy brought up Itachi and they're here. He's here. I know what you're thinking. I just cant be here. Lecture me tomorrow._

He was just finishing typing out the text when the door to a stall opened and he jumped. Why was he so nervous and jumpy all of a sudden?

"I knew you'd be here instead of outside. Nice to see some things haven't changed."

The blonde froze, slowly turning around with his phone firmly gripped in his other hand, to look at Uchiha Itachi who stood infront of him, tall and beautiful in his black suit, staring at him coolly.

"...Hi Itachi." The blonde shifted from one foot to another, nervously wringing his hands over his phone. He smiled nervously, not really sure what to say. He didn't really know what he had to say to Itachi after everything that happened. His eyes shifted towards the door and back to him.

Itachi only gazed at him, face expressionless as always as he moved towards the sink to wash his hands. Naruto always found it odd that no matter what the older Uchiha was doing, he always seemed so intimidating and strong, graceful.

He stood there silently, for a reason he didn't even know, because Itachi made no move to talk or do anything. After a while, he quietly left, feeling more confused and tense that when he came in.

* * *

"Oww! What the fuck. What was that for?" Kiba muttered as he nursed his shoulder while Naruto adjusted himself in the passenger seat.

"That's for not replying, ass. Where were you? What else could you have been up to tonight that was so important. There's no way you were studying... _were you?_ " Naruto turned to him, giving him a strange look.

"No! What. How can you even think that about me? I'm hurt Namikaze." Kiba gave him a wounded look while the blonde just rolled his eyes.

"Where's Sakura?" He turned and noticed the absence of the pink haired girl.

Kiba coughed slightly, gripping the steering wheel slightly. His eyes flickered from Naruto to the dashboard infront of him.

"She uh, had Ino business again. Couldn't make it. See I'm such an amazing friend. Came when you bellowed, your Highness."

"She BAILED? Again? That girl needs to sort out her priorities." Naruto huffed and leaned back as Kiba plugged in his iPod and music slowly start flowing from the speakers.

"Want to talk about it?" Kiba turned to the blonde, uncomfortable. Unlike Sakura and surprisingly even Gaara, he wasn't good at talking about stuff like this with Naruto.

"...Lets get icecream. Its been a long day." The blue eyed boy loosened his tie slightly. The brunet took this action to notice the attire his friend was in and smirked slightly.

"You clean up nice blondie, nice to see you looking human for once." Kiba grinned, ducking the fist to the face.

* * *

"You're such a pig! Can you go one day without being a creep and hitting on poor girls? McDonalds,  _seriously?_  Kiba, man." Naruto grinned, licking away the last of his icecream as the brunet rolled down his windows as they pulled over into Naruto's driveway.

"You know one of these days you really need to learn how to drive. Your dad's WAY too overprotective man. Just sneak away and get someone to teach you. I'm tired of hauling your sorry self all the time"

"You love my company, idiot. Just admit it. I'm charming. And  _funn-ay._ "

"You're retarded, is what you are dork. I don't know what that Hayden dude saw in you."

"Aiden. Aideeeeen. And you're just jealous because I have more game then you." Naruto poked out his tongue.

They laughed slightly and after a while quietened down. Naruto leaned back into his seat, leaning up to wipe away the ice cream from his face.

They were both quiet again for a while, with Naruto looking out of the window into the silent night, deep in thought over something Kiba had no idea what. He gripped the steering wheel again, that sickly feeling returning to his stomach, along with the tightening in his chest. Kiba didn't know why he got so nervous, it was _Naruto_  after all and he'd been practicing for weeks now. He just had to man up and do it, but the right words just seemed to get stuck in his throat.

He fidgeted with the knobs on the radio and coughed slightly to get the blonde's attention.

"Naruto there's something I have-"

"I met Itachi today." Naruto turned to him, eyes wide and vulernable all of a sudden. Kiba quietened. He suddenly felt a fierce anger inside his chest, bubbling under his skin.

"Did he-did he say anything? What happened? Why the fuck's he talking to you? Was  _he_ there?"

"No no. He wasn't...It was nothing. I think I overreacted." Naruto smiled sheepishly, brushing the bangs out his face.

"Naruto..."

"I'm serious! I think the night just got to me. There's only so much awkwardness I can handle, right?"

Kiba just snorted softly.

"You are such a certifiable dork. Seriously Naruto."

"So are we giving Sakua the cold shoulder tomorrow until she caves and takes us out to lunch tomorrow?" Naruto grinned.

"Obviously."

* * *

_**October 3rd, Senju-Sarutobi HighSchool Junior Year** _

"I seriously don't know why school has to be so early in the morning" Ino moaned and she walked into the school halls with Hinata and Sakura. The hallway was bursting with teenagers chattering excitedly bustling back and forth, ready to get back on track the first day after the Fall break. Sakura rolled her eyes at her blonde friend's melodrama. She kind of loved the first day of school. It was like a fresh start, and it was nice to see all the familiar faces again and to settle back into an old routine. The place was full of life, and Sakura well...loved life!

"I love life!" Sakura smiled brightly, to a random passerby who gave her a weird look as he brushed by the three girls. Hinata giggled at her friends antics as Ino scowled. "Its too early for me to deal with you, I'm going to find the boys."

"Um. Ino, Shikamaru might be there." Hinata pointed out.

"So?"

"And Temari's probably there too."

Ino considered, "I'll catch up with the boys some day else then."

"You really need to get over your hatred for Temari, Ino-pig." Sakura rolled her eyes as they made for their lockers.

"I don't... _hate_  her. Hate is such a strong word." Ino huffed.

"I once saw you muttering to yourself about how you'd like to see her catch on fire." Hinata patted Ino on the shoulder comfortingly.

"Like you're one to talk, little miss 'I'm-so-innocent'. How was your recent dream about our fellow dog lover, hm?" Hinata turned bright engine red and opened her locker in a hurry, mumbling to herself.

"Ino!  _Behave._ Hinata's...delicate." Sakura reprimended.

"Whatever. Aren't you supposed to be meeting up with Kiba and Naruto? God knows they both need your guidance to get through the day"

"Hey! Don't insult my boys. They're...special." Sakura grinned. Ino just snorted.

"...Riiiight.  _Special_." Sakura glared at her, looked behind her shoulder and suddenly shouted. "HELLO TEMARI."

Ino's eyes widened and she suddenly turned around to stare at a hallway devoid of Gaara's tall busty blonde haired sister.

"You're an evil little bitch." Ino put her hands on her hips, giving Sakura a dirty little glare.

"Serves you right for being mean to Hinata." The pink haired girl gave her a smug smile as the three of them made their way to their first class.

* * *

" _Shutuuuup._  I don't sound like that!" Naruto exclaimed trying to wriggle out of Gaara's grip so he could assault stupid immature Kiba as the brunet howled, laughing whilst Shikamaru tried to make him shut up.

"Dude. Naruto. Take a joke, relax." Kiba ruffled Naruto's hair who just glared at him.

"Your face is a joke."

"Oh ouch. How original."

"You guys are idiots." Shikamaru mumbled, rolling his eyes at the antics of the boys infront of him. "Where's Neji?" He turned to Gaara who looked at him strangely, a little uncomfortable.

"Why do you assume I'd know?"

"Well you're always off with him discussing your mutual creepy obsession with Crime Novels." Shikamaru shrugged and Kiba gave Gaara a knowing look.

"I always thought they sat down and discussed shampoo's and hair conditioners. They have such perfect hair its oddly creepy." Naruto snickered.

Gaara scowled and brushed past them ignoring the two's mutual cries for him to wait up.

Kiba put an arm around the shorter blonde's shoulders as he lead them to their first class with Iruka sensei.

"Everyone's such a partypooper. Our friend's suck." Naruto just rolled his eyes and opened his mouth when he was interrupted.

"Hey Naruto." Naruto blinked at the sound of Neji's voice behind his back and turned around.

"Nejii! Where have you bee- Oh." The blonde froze. What words that he was going to say died in his throat. The blond suddenly felt time feeze and he suddenly felt weak in the stomach. All he could do was just blink ahead of him. His chest felt a little tight.

Uchiha Sasuke stood next to Hyuuga Neji and just stared at the blonde with a blank expression on his face, ignoring Kiba completely.

Kiba's eyes widened as he frowned, looking back from Neji to Sasuke, before turning back to Neji and setting his eyes into a firm glare.

"Dude, what the fuck?" And without even waiting for an response he silently and furiously lead Naruto away who seemed to be at a loss of words.

As they both entered their classrooms, Nartuo slowly looked back to see his ex-boyfriend still staring at him, with an unreadable look in his eyes.


End file.
